Ms Black received her Tui this evening (Sat. March 7) at the Wellington Jazz Festival for her album ‘Sings’.

A regular performer at jazz festivals in New Zealand, Australia and Europe, Ms Black is renowned for taking the power and beauty of Mâori culture to national and global audiences.  In 2006 she received the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2006 for services to Mâori music.

She is no stranger to success at the NZ Music Awards. Ms Black’s debut solo album ‘Hinepukohurangi: Shrouded in Mist’ won Best Mâori Language Album in 2001 while groundbreaking bilingual jazz album ‘Soul Sessions’ was a finalist in the jazz category in 2007.

‘Sings’ is again bilingual, mixing jazz standards with Mâori language translations.

The other two finalists were The Rodger Fox Big Band for ‘No Exit’ and Norman Meehan’s ‘Modigliani’.

Whirimako Black studied for a Certificate of Musicianship Theory from the Sydney School of Music in Australia and has recorded six albums and numerous collaborations with other local and international artists.

She is also a judge on the television series ‘Maorioke’ and toured extensively in 2008 performing in Turkey as part of the Gallipoli celebrations as well as at numerous jazz festivals in New Zealand and abroad.

New Zealand Music Awards spokesperson Campbell Smith describes Ms Black’s win as a triumph for cross-genre creativity within New Zealand music.

“Whirimako has a huge following of loyal fans across jazz, blues and Mâori language music. She has a well-deserved reputation as one of the country’s finest musicians.

“With ‘ ‘Sings’ she continues to impress and it’s a superb endorsement for this wonderful composer and artist that the album has been rewarded with the Jazz Tui for 2008.

Whirimako’s win will be acknowledged at the New Zealand Music Awards 2009 later in the year.